What Is in Prenatal Vitamins?

Pregnant women often take prenatal vitamins to ensure that they and their babies get the essential nutrients they need. Different vitamins have different ingredients, so always check with a doctor before taking prenatal vitamins.

Iron

• Women need up to 50% more iron in their bodies during pregnancy, especially during the second and third trimesters. Pregnant women's bodies must manufacture more red blood cells during pregnancy, and iron is essential to that process.

Calcium

• Calcium is important for strong bones in both the pregnant woman and the fetus. Large amounts of calcium are transferred from the mother's body to the fetus during pregnancy, so an increased intake of calcium is essential.

Folic Acid

• Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy greatly reduces the risk that the baby will be born with neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Most prenatal vitamins contain roughly 800 mg of folic acid, which is double the amount needed by a non-pregnant woman.

Vitamins

• Vitamins A, C, D and E are also found in prenatal vitamins. Although women can get these vitamins from food, supplements ensure that a woman will get adequate amounts of these vitamins during pregnancy.

B Vitamins and Minerals

• Although folic acid is a B vitamin, there are other B vitamins in prenatal pills such as thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin. Minerals in prenatal pills often include zinc, magnesium, copper and selenium.

Herbal supplements

• If you buy your prenatal vitamins at a health food or natural food store, your pills may contain ginger, red raspberry, or wheat grass.